Railway retarder clamp



11, 1956 J. A. BODKIN TAL 2773,55

RAILWAY RETARDER CLAMP Filed Aug. 3l, 1S53 www OKK TDD moo y VEB E N N im ,R HR w .OM T JK A Rh V.. B

United States Patent RAILWAY RETARDER CLAMP John A. Bodkin, New York, N. Y., and Richard E. Bodkin, Westport, Conn.

Application August 31, 1953, Serial No. 377,619

9 Claims. (Cl. 18S- 62) Our invention relates to railway car retarders of the known type which comprises an auxiliary or retarder rail positioned along a side of a railway track rail at a distance from this track rail smaller than the width of a wheel ilange this retarder rail being movable against resilient pressure from this position farther away from the track rail whereby a wheel flange entering the space between these rails will receive lateral pressure and, hence, will be braked by friction. n v

One of us has shown and described a retarder of this type in his Patent No. 2,452,720. The present invention may be regarded as an improvement of the retarder shown in this patent and may use the same arrangement of rails, except for differences pointed out in the following description.

Objects of our invention are to compress track and retarder rail by very strong springs, thereby to retard a car very effectively, to provide counter-bearings for these springs which are connected by a member of a cross-section larger than the cross-section of a bolt which can pass through the rail webs, to incorporate this cross-section in a movable U-shaped member which has one leg passing through the rail webs and another leg passing under the rails whereby the cross-section of this latter leg, and hence the total cross-section of the member is not limited by the height of the webs, to connect the free ends of thementioned legs by a bracket, and thereby to adapt this member for very strong stress.

Other objects are to secure a minimum distance between track rail and retarder rail, to adjust this minimum distance according to requirements, and to provide for this purpose abutments which are secured to the webpassing leg of the mentioned member between the rails in positions adjustable in the direction of this leg.

Further objects are to secure the correct mutual positions of the rails and clamping means permanently, to interpose a bracket between a spring and the track rail which bracket is supported or passed through by a webpassing leg and has a side shaped to lit the lateral cavity or recess of the track rail snugly, to support and to guide` the retarder rail in its lateral movement by an underlying slide plate, thereby to make unnecessary guiding contact between the web-passing leg and the corresponding web bores whereby the frictional resistance against lateral movement of the retarder rail is diminished and a correct horizontal direction of this movement is secured, and to engage the foot of the track rail by this slide plate whereby a correct stationary position of the slide plate is secured.

Still other objects are to provide snubbers or shock absorbers which act parallel to the springs, thereby to secure a strong and shock-free spring and braking action, and` to use the same brackets as spring and snubber bearings or housings.

Still further objects are to support the retarder rail slidably at a level higher than the level of the track rail, thereby to provide contact between the retarder rail and the, braked wheel ange at a higher and larger surface,

and thereby to improve direction and intensity of the retarding pressure.

Still other objects and advantages will appear from the following description of exemplifying embodiments of our invention, from the appended claims and from the accompanying drawing in which:

Fig. 1 shows a top view of an illustrative embodiment of our invention, the rails being broken oi.

Fig. 2 shows a partially sectional vertical view of the same embodiment, the sectionally represented parts being cut along the line 2 2 in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 showsa side view of the same embodiment, seeny from the left side of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 shows a top view of a simplified embodiment, rails being broken off.

Fig. 5 shows a partly sectional vertical view of the latter embodiment, the sectionally represented parts being cut along the line 5 5 in Fig. 4.

Referring to Figs. 1 to 3, numeral 1 indicates one of the two rails of a railway track which is stationarily securedon ties (not shown) in usual manner. Two slide plates 3 may be secured in similar manner, for example by spikes passing through holes 4 provided near the ends of the plates 3. Preferably, each plate 3 has a portion underlying and contacting the rail 1 and engaging the same by means of lip-like projections 6 and 7. Another portion 8 of each plate 3 extends horizontally at a right angle to the rail 1 to one side, preferably to the' side which is the inner side of the railway track. The upper side of the plate 3 forms an upward step from the first mentioned portion to the portion 8 whereby the latter is higher than the first portion or than the base ofthe rail 1. The upper side of the plate portion 8 forms a smooth surface extending horizontally aside of the rail 1.

An auxiliary or retarder rail 9 is slidably positioned on the plate portion 8 and extends along the rail 1 at a variable distance. The rail 9 has preferably the same standard cross-section as the rail 1, except that a portion of the foot of the rail 9 may be cut off in order to allow positioning of the rail 9 close to the rail 1. The rail 9 is urged toward the rail 1 by a clamp which is constructed as follows: v

A U-shaped member 11 has a yoke or bent end so arranged that the rail 9 is positioned in the horizontal distance between this bent end and the rail 1, and has two legs extending from this yoke horizontally, one over the other. The upper leg 12 is provided with a shoulder 13 forming a surface facing toward the free end of the leg 12.y A leg'portion 14 of reduced diameter extends from the shoulder 13 to thefree leg and is threaded. This leg portion passes, in the direction from the shoulder, first through the web of the rail'9, then through the web of the rail 1. The lower leg 15 passes under the rails 9 and 1 has a threaded end. l v

A bracket 16 issecured to and connects the free ends of the legs 12 and 15.V Preferably, the bracket 16 has bores for the passage of theY legs and is secured to the same near their free ends by nuts 17 and 18 threaded on the-legs. The bracket side opposite to the nut 17 forms a surface facing the shoulder surface 13. kThe member 11 and the bracket 16 form a movable unit capable of withstanding high stress.

Resilient pressing means or springs are positioned between the shoulder 13 and the rail 9 or between the bracket 16 and the rai1v1or preferably at both these places. For example, a leaf spring 19 composed of several layers bears against the shoulder 13 and has a bore for the passage of the leg portion 14, and a coiled spring 20 bears against the bracket 16 and surrounds the leg portion 14. The springs 19 and 20 may bear on the respective rails 4directly or through interposed members.

For example, a bracket 21 is positioned between the springt;

3. 20..and.the.rail.1,.has..a bore for the passage of the` leg, portion 14 and is shaped to t the cavity or recess between head and foot of this rail snugly.

4Inu addition 1to1 and.. asidetof :the spring. 120; 4oneforfmore` snubbers 22 are positioned between the bracketssllrandlv 2li., Preferably two snubbers: oflanyiknown andssuitable structurerarepositioned substantiallylat the samevlev'el `as: the spring 120Lfand extending parallel andl symmetricallyr to. the spring 20. The brackets-are sh'apedv to4 secure.the'` positionfofithe.' snubbers.- Forl example, the facing-surfaces of the brackets `mayfhave .cylindrical vprojectionsuZI fttingcorresponding' recesses vinthe ends of thek snubbers. Inf addition, .thebracket v21..has .lateral walls .24, and.. the. bracket 16 has lateral walls r25.a11d a top wall-26 whereby.. thewbracketr 16.1 forms; an'. opens housing .into which the snubbers 22 and the spring 20 enter.

The described springs urge the1rail9 toward the rail 1 whereby they tend to reduce the distance-between the. railsito aminimurn. This minimum distance is. determined by-abutmentsspacingthe rails. Preferably, .these abutments are formed by two nuts 27which are threaded on thelegportion 14 between the rails. The minimum distance can' be adjusted by screwingA rotation of either.f nut 27. In addition, the nuts 27 and 17 allow adjustment of the tension of the springs.' i

Iir Fig. 2, the lowerpart of theoutline of 'a car'wheel. isindicated by the dotted line 28. The-minimum dis-- tance between the rails 1 and 9-is so adjusted thatthe spacebetween the heads of the rails is narrower than. the. wheel ange Hence, when -a wheel enters this space, it frces'th'e 'rail`9' awayffrom the rail 1 against the'braking` pressure of the springs.

Oneor more retarder units of the type'described'may be provided forone railway track. For example, identical unitsmay be positioned symmetrically at both rails of the track, and identical units using the same retarder rail maybe positioned along this common retarder rail.

Theembodimentshown in Figs. 4 and 5 is designed fol-less heavy duty or lesser braking force and consti-` tutes'asimpliiication` of the embodiment shown inFigs. lto3.l TheA simplified embodiment does not comprise-f snubbers. It'has a' U-shaped member-31 similar to themember 11, but shorter, a bracket 36 secured. near the' free endofthe'legs of the member 31, and a `leaf spring 39 replacing the coiled spring 20 and bearing against'the bracket'36and, on the other side, directly against the rail 1. The retarder rail`29 is identical to the rail 9 in Figures 1`to 3, except that more of the foot of the rail 29' is'cut away. The spring 19 and the nuts-17, 18 andl27- arevidentical to the parts indicated by the same -numerals inthe first described embodiment.

Anyofthe mentioned nuts may be'provided with a washer of anyknown and suitable type; Forexample, Figs.' 4 VandS show ay washer 32 provided for thenut 17. Thesimplied' embodiment may be used without a slide plate or may be provided with a Yslide plate similar 'to the'A plate 3 shown in Figs. l to 3.

The function'of the two'describedembodiments isA substantially they same.

We desire it 'understood' that our invention is not con-l nedto the particular embodiments shown and described, the same being merely illustrative, and that our invention maybe carried out'in other ways withinthe scope of the appended :claims'without departing 'from the' spirit of out invention .as it is obvious that the particular' embodiments' shown'anddescribediare'onlyafew'of'themany'thatmay be'employed to'attain'theobjects of our invention.

Having' described the nature'of our invention; ,whatwev claim and desire'to protect by LettersPatent is:

1. A clamp for connecting a track rail and a'retarder.v rail extending along and "aside of'said track'rail at avari'- able distance therefrom, .said clampl comprising a' rigid' U-'shaped'rnemberhavingl a yoke' end and having; two' elongatedlegsextending, one overthe other, horizontally' fomisaid'yoke end, said vlegs `having'ends' farfrcnn' said yoke end, the upper leghaving a shoulder positioned near said yoke end and forming` a surface facing toward said far end of this leg, said upper leg having a portion extending from said shoulder to said far end, said clamp further comprising a bracket secured to and connecting said far leg ends and having a surface facing said shoulder surface, and a spring positioned on said upper leg portion between said surfaces.

2. A clamp for connecting a track rail and a retarder rail extending along and asideof said track rail at a variable distance therefrom,` saidclamp` comprising a rigid U-shaped member having a yoke end and having two elongated legs extending, one over the other, horizontally from said yoke end, said legshavingends far from said yoke end, the upper leg having a shoulder positioned near said yoke end and forming a surface facing toward said far end of this leg, said upper leg having a portion extending from saidshoulder to said farl end, the lower leg. having aconsiderable vertical distance fromsaid upper leg, saidlclamp further comprising a bracket secured' to and connecting said far leg ends and having a surface facing said shoulder surface, and a spring positioned..

on said upper legportion` between said surfaces.

3. Aclamp for connecting` a. track rail anda retarder` rail extending` along and aside` of said track rail at ai variable distance therefrom, said clamp comprising a.

rigid U-shaped member having a yoke end and having two elongated legs extending, one over the other, horizontally from saidyoke end, said legs havingends far from said:

yoke end, the upper leg having-a shoulder positioned near saidyoke end and forming a surface facing towardlsaid far end of this leg, said upper leg having, a portion ex-Y tending from said shoulder to said far end, said clamp further comprising a bracket secured to and connecting` said far legends and having a surface facing said shoulder surface, and two springspositioned on said upper leg portion.

4.v A clampI for connecting al track-rail and a retarder rail extending along and aside of said track rail at avariable distance therefrom, said clamp comprising a rigid. U-shaped member having a yokeend and having two elongated legsextendin'g, one over the other, horizontally from said yoke end, said legs having ends'far from said yoke. end, the upper leg having a. shoulder' positioned railextendingalong and aside ofsaid track rail at a vari-I abledistance therefrom, said clampcomprising a rigidI U.shaped member having a-yoke end and having two elongated legsextending, one over the other, horizontally from said .yoker end,.said legs having ends' far from said'y yoke end; the upper leg having. a shoulder positioned near said yoke end and forming a. surface facing toward saidfar endofthis leg,.said`.upper leghavinga portion.

extending from said shoulderfto saidfar end, said clamp further comprising-a bracket secured toand connecting said far legV` ends, another` bracket positioned between said.` frst-.bracketandLsaid shoulder, anda spring posi-U tioned between said brackets.

6. .A clarnpforI connectinga .track railsand. a retarder rail .extendingalong and aside of said track rail at; a vari-.- able distance therefrom,` said. clamp comprising a rigid.V

U..-shaped member: having a` yoke. end` and` having two elongated legs extending, one over the other, horizontal.- ly from said yoke end, saidlegs having ends. far from said' yoke end,.the upper leg,having,a shoulderpositioned neansaid yokeend' and forming, a` surface facing toward saidlfar end ofthis leg', said upper'leg havinga portion` extendingfrom said shoulder to said far end, said clamp further comprising a bracket secured to and connecting said far leg ends, another bracket positioned between said first bracket and said shoulder, a spring positioned on said upper leg portion between said brackets, and a snubber positioned between said brackets aside of said spring.

7. A retarder for railway cars, comprising a track rail; a plate having a horizontal upper surface extending aside of said track rail; a retarder rail slidable on said upper plate surface; and a clamp comprising a rigid U-shaped member having a yoke end and having two legs extending, one over the other, horizontally from said yoke end, said legs having ends far from said yoke end, the upper leg having a shoulder positioned near said yoke end and forming a surface facing toward said far end of this leg, said upper leg having a portion extending from said shoulder first through the web of said retarder rail and then through the web of said track rail to said far end of this leg, the lower leg passing under said rails, a bracket secured to and connecting said far leg ends and having a surface facing said rails and said shoulder, and a spring bearing against one of said surfaces and against that rail which is nearest to said latter surface.

8. A retarder for railway cars, comprising a track rail; a plate having a portion underlying and engaging said track rail and another portion having a horizontal upper surface extending aside of said track rail; a retarder rail slidable on said upper plate surface; and a clamp cornprising a rigid U-shaped member having a yoke end and having two legs extending, one over the other, horizontally from said yoke end, said legs having ends far from said yoke end, the upper leg having a shoulder positioned near said yoke end and forming a surface facing toward said far end of this leg, said upper leg having a portion extending from said shoulder first through the web of said retarder rail and then through the web of said track rail to said far end o1 this leg, the lower leg passing under said rails, a bracket secured to and connecting said far leg ends and having a surface facing said rails and said shoulder, and a spring bearing against one of said surfaces and against that rail which is nearest to said latter surface.

9. A retarder for railway cars, comprising a track rail; a plate having a portion underlying said track rail and another portion higher than said rst plate portion and having a horizontal upper surface extending aside of said track rail; a retarder rail slidable on said upper plate surface; and a clamp comprising a rigid U-shaped member having a yoke end and having two legs extending, one over the other, horizontally from said yoke end, said legs having ends far from said yoke end, the upper leg having a shoulder positioned near said yoke end and forming a surface facing toward said far end of this leg, said upper leg having a portion extending from said shoulder iirst through the web of said retarder rail and then through the web of said track rail to said far end of this leg, the lower leg passing under said rails, a bracket secured to and connecting said far leg ends and having a surface facing said rails and said shoulder, and a spring bearing against one of said surfaces and against that rail which is nearest to said latter surface.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

